Monte Vista residents have few creative spaces where painters, photographers, writers, and musicians can gather and find community. It was this problem that Madeleine Ahlborn set out to solve. After buying a former Baptist church, Ahlborn launched The Church Project, Monte Vista’s first dedicated community art center. With a little help from LOR, Ahlborn and The Church Project have begun offering free workshops and events for local artists—ranging from figure drawing and painting to podcasting and open mic nights. “The logistics of easels and paint and brushes is kind of the surface of what LOR Foundation has provided for The Church Project,” Ahlborn says. “But the heart of the matter is they have left a legacy because The Church Project is always going to be open for the community—for free—on Fridays and Sundays.” Watch the video below to learn more about The Church Project and Ahlborn’s mission to create a home for all Monte Vista artists.
Filmed and edited by Mike Borjas and Kim Marquez, Kim Marquez Photography.
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